My name is Eric Bouton, Sales Manager for IDCO. IDCO, based in Marseille, is an independent company with a start-up spirit, specialized in the conception and commercialisation of industrial equipments such as micro-waves for vegetal extraction.

IDCO will first of all bring its technical expertise in the framework of microwave plant extraction, combined with ultrasound, and therefore also bring a process that will allow three types of extraction: solvent-free extraction, extraction in liquid medium and extraction by recirculation in thin layers, and finally, an equipment by manufacturing the equipment dedicated to microwaves. We intervene in phase two of the WiNatLab, i.e. the R&D phase – lab tests to allow you to determine and size the equipment you will need. We also intervene in phase three, in the hall pilot phase to allow the scale-up and validation of the protocols and processes set up in the previous phase and also, phase four which is the industrialization phase with the realization and production of the equipment.

The main advantages and benefits of vegetable extraction by microwave are first of all the possibility to work without solvent or with very little solvent, hence an ecological production process in respect of the REACH standards and certifications.

The second advantage will be the saving of time and energy, it is an economical process, the possibility to work directly in the heart of the cells without any mechanical or thermal action, therefore no alteration of the organoleptic and chemical properties of the active ingredients, and the possibility to have a very high yield by targeting the molecules and the active ingredients.

We have extracted rose floral water using microwaves and ultrasound, which enabled us to obtain an essential oil that could then be combined with the manufacture of lotions, moisturizing creams and soaps for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. These processes allow us to respect the natural character of the treated active ingredients and therefore of the consumed products.

If you want to obtain quick results and high yields, my advice is to use microwave technology coupled with ultrasound. The combination of the different technologies available on the WiNatLab website and the advice of the experts present on the website will also allow you to define your needs, especially the choice of the technology to be used, either a batch or a continuous treatment.